Icy Road Stops W.Va. Fire Truck in its Tracks

Feb. 08--Narrow roads and icy conditions trapped a Star City Volunteer Fire Department truck outside of Morgantown on Friday morning.

"This is what happens because they don't treat the secondary roads," Star City Fire Chief John Huber said as he and other firefighters tried to dislodge Engine 201.

Huber said his department responded to calls of a chimney fire on McCormick Hollow Road. No fire was found, and no one was injured. A fire truck was unable to climb back up the one-lane road, which was covered with ice.

Melissa Giggenbach, who lives at the house at the end of McCormick Hollow Road, said she called the fire department Friday morning as a precaution regarding concerns with her chimney. "The Division of Highways doesn't come down here often, which normally isn't an issue except for times like this."

Carey Bly, with the West Virginia Division of Highways, said McCormick Hollow Road is a third priority, meaning it isn't treated until first and second priority roads are clear. First priority roads include interstates and U.S. routes, Bly said, while second priority roads include bus routes and major county roads.

Third priority roads include paved roadways with little traffic, while fourth priority are dirt roads.

"If they were to call us in an emergency situation we would come and treat it," she said, adding the department did not receive any calls regarding Mc-Cormick Hollow Road.

Huber said units from Cassville, Westover and Granville also responded but were not able to get past a double-wide mobile home being transported along Van Voorhis Road.

The Star City engine passed the large trailer near the WVU Health Sciences campus, where Van Voorhis Road is four lanes wide.

Huber said at least one brake line on the truck was frozen and a tow truck would be called in to retrieve the fire truck.

Copyright 2014 - The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.